The proliferation of the Internet has provided new tools to help people communicate with each other. One such useful communication tool realized by the popularity of the Internet is Instant Messaging (IM).
With IM, two or more computer users can trade messages to each other in real-time using IM clients running on their respective computers. IM clients often conveniently store a list of contacts in a “buddy list” so that a user can simply click on a name to initiate an IM interaction. Furthermore, many IM clients allow users to open multiple IM windows so that multiple discussions can be carried out with different parties.
Generally, an IM window includes a message composition area where a brief message can be typed. Once a user is satisfied with the message created, the message is transmitted to a receiving party by hitting a Return key or clicking a Send button. The message is then transmitted and displayed in a discussion area of the receiving party's IM window.
Typically when one party is composing a message in an IM discussion, the other party waits for the message to arrive on his or her screen. Someone composing an IM message may feel pressured to quickly type and transmit a message without taking time to carefully proofread the message. Thus, IM communication is generally characterized by short back and forth messages between the IM participants with less emphasis on proper spelling, grammar and punctuation than more formal methods of communication, such as paper letters or electronic mail.
Although IM has proved to be a wonderful tool to enhance communication and promote collaboration, the causal and hurried nature of IM communication can lead to human errors with potentially harmful results. One source of human error occurs when a user types an IM response in a wrong IM window. When juggling between multiple IM discussions at the same time, it is possible to type a response in an IM window other than the one intended. The result of this error is a message sent to the wrong recipient. The consequence of such a mistake can vary from harmless to disastrous depending on the relationship between the message's subject matter and its recipient.
As mentioned above, IM messages are often sent without much proofreading. Typically, a user transmits a message and then reviews the message just sent for errors. Correcting the message often requires sending another message amending or clarifying the previous message. The above scenarios could make a person using IM feel embarrassed and sometimes could harm relationships that a useful communication tool is intended to improve.